The Republican journal., 1887-10-27
Ancient History.

| ~ Wy the experiment OF nalloHli government.
but it was reserved for the southern pennsnlas
of Europe to exhibit political freedom to the
world. Greece by its peninsulas. islands and
the division Of the country by mountains was
especially favorable to the development of
small independent states. Its proximity to
| the older civilizations of Phoenica and Egypt
was favorable to ali early development. Though
Greece was only about as large as the state of
Maine, there were probably twenty petty kings
ruling there in 1000 b. C.. But in the early
! part of the Sth century. we iiili all the states
| except Sparta had changed to a republican
| government. Atthe commencement of authcn-
| tie Grccian history. 116 i. c., Sparta was tie
| leading state of southern Greece. The Spar
! tans We're 4 warlike race who spent their time
i'll military drill and We're supported by ten
! times their number of slaves ard subjects. In
the 9th century Sparta began to interfere with
the affairs of central Greece and would proba-
bly, have brought all the Greek states under
subjccton, had not all Greece been called OF to
/ unite in suppreSsing the invasion of Greece by
| Persia.
Athens, the most important state OF central
| Greece, was i'll early historic days Il vepubiic
ruled by the mobiles. but the discomfort of the
| people became so great that it became pure
democracy in 800 b. {. The numerous petty
! states OF Greece had developed Il hardy intell-
/ gent race which was soon to measure strength
| with Asia. represented by Persia.
| Cyrus in founding the Persian Empire had
conquered some Greek cities on the coast of
| Asia Minor. These in TIE year 800 Il. c. re-
volted and Athens sent twenty ships to aid
their kinsfo'k. They landed OF the coast of
Asia Minor and captured Sardis which was
/ accidentally burned. This enraget the Per-
sian Monarch who speedily quieted the revolt
! and resolved to chasti>c the 4tthenians.
MardoniuS led an army into Macedonia. but
the fleet sent to cooperate was destroyed by
storm and he returned i'll disgrace 4o2 Il. C..
The Pcr>ian> next sent ,00o men who were
met and defeated on the plain of Marathon by
little force of 10000 Athenans under Milti-
AIDES Sept. 490 Be Darius was unable to re-
new ho>tiliticS before his DEATH but ten years
later his son NerNcs took up the task. Mean
while the 4AthenianS We're improving the time
under the wise coua>els Of Thcmistore>.
| When NcrNcS hal collected the largest army
that had ever been seen he led them across the
llclle>pout on a double bridge Of boats. 1t
took seven days and nights fer them to cross
the bridge in two col;.inu-. When NerXcs
arrived in Greece, The Greeks We're eel, ,bratiny
Il festival SO they only >cnt 1000 men under
i.ooni.!s, the Spartan King. to defend the pass
Of Ihermouylw. They held the ,'a>, for two
days but Oh The third Il traitor pointed ont a
mountain path to the Persian king. When
tins became known most of the Greeks wished
to retreat but Ieoni,a> refused to retreat. Ac-
tordin@ly the brave leader accompanied 10y
loco men made 4 vigorous charge oil the Per-
slams pouring in from front and rear. but they
We're finally killed to a man Aug. $50 5. c.
The fate of Greece was to be decided by Il
great naval action in the bay of >alani> two
months after the battle OF Thermopyl;r. The
Greek fleet consisted OF only 1866 ships while
the Per>ianS had 1000 vessels. The Eastern
Monarch anticipating glorious victory took a
scat on lofty promontory overlooking the
| scene. The Greeks were completely success
full and NerNe> retrc:itr,l to his own dominonS
oct. $50 BE- He. however. left behind 800 .0G0
men under Mardoniu>. The next year this
force was conquered by 1o00o Greeks at Plat
| aca. The Persian fleet was DESTROYED tn"
same day at Mycale in Asia Minor Thi, fairly
established European freedom and the power
of Asia was crushed, to rise no more.
| Although Greece encountered no formidable
foreign foe for many Years, she is rent by
many intestine hrol>, but her scholars find
ample time to display the san' magnificent
powers in the cultivation of science and itcrl-
tllre that were exhibited in the repulSe of the
Pcr>ian>. Athens was for 80 wears the lead
ing state OF Greece. And Spart;, stood without
a rival for 81 car, after she conquered Athens
at Acgo>potamos. 405 Il. c. ThcbcS. ,nder
the leadership of EpaminonlaS conquered
Sparta al Lcuctra. 31l B. G.. At the death of
! Epamnonas. Thcbe> fell. for here was none
to take his place. and Greece soon fell an easy
prey to Philip Of Maccdon. Though the Mace
donians Were closely allied 10 the Greeks they
had hitherto remained in ob>clrity. but when
Philip assumed the government in 80 Il. G.,
he determined to make Mace,iun not ONLY Il
Greek state but the leading state of Greece.
Philip accomplished his purpose by mixed
policy a'> B. G. He now announced his intrn-
ton Of uniting the Greek forces to invade
Persia and avcngr the old Insults of that colin-
try. Before his design could be cN, clltcl he
| nlin i \ l..\oltl- nj
age of 20 assumed command Of the army and
started OIL his great expedition. 334 B. c. Al
the agc of - Alexander the Great found him
self lord Of al Western Asia. lie pushed his
way as far is northern India when his soldiers
refused To 90 farther. lie returned rs far a.
Babylon and was preparing for new enter
pri>e> wien all his piaN> We're ended by li>
death. And aS there WIS lone 90 take his
place, his empire was Shattcred. In his Short
career OF Is years AlcNaIdor hai carried Gre
elan civilization to lar" part Of th> world,
an'l the Greek iHnguA@c was spoken by many
nations.
Greek literature originated in the Greek
cities of Asia Minor about $50 u. G. The
Greeks We're lythei>> anl looked upon thcil
numerous gods a. their personal friends. ihc>t
Gods We're represented as the embodiment ot
grandeur and lovcllncss and doubtless manS
Grccian philosophers caught Il glimpse of il
higher ideal than that accepted by the common
people This fact, together with the posses
tionS, and the >elf-dependcnce encouraged by
the numerous states. was the cause ot the
great progress made by the Greeks. Ar>rhine>
and Demo>thenc>. the opposing politicians III
the time of the accession of Philip of Mace
don, carried OratorV to perfection. ThalCS and
Pytha=ora> exhibited the perfection of ancient
philosophy. Socrates was more than a philo>o-
pher; he was artlated hy higher motives than
human. He advocated the breaking away
from ol'i pr"Julce> and the need of Il search
/,
whoever chose to l>.cn without pay and
strcnnously labored for the welfare of man.
kind, he was charged with not believing in tn,
gods and with being a rorrupter of youth lie
was condemned and executed but employed
his last moments in ti>cour>n" to his friend,
on the immortality of the soul Plato was +;
disciple Of socrates. and Aristotle the in>truct
cr of Alexander the Great. was the author OF
a system of philosophy that lasted uutil tn,
days of Bacon. Although Rome oycrshadow
cd Greece in political power. she never cX
cecAcd her in literary glory.
It Is probable that as early as .o3 b. c. !
little village called Rome existed on the Tihcr
1t was ruled by kings until 509 Is. c.. when til,
kin@y form Of government was bani>hcd al
Rome. The first century and half after Rom,
of classes and wars with the nei-hborin-
states. After the Romans admitted all clas>c,
to share in the government in 3i6 b. c. they
entered their career Of conquest. in which they
| WtIc tIIllithtIN SUtttSSlul. III hN b. I kOllit
was master of all Italy. They allowed tn,
conquered lands to retain their own govern
mcnt but reserved the highest offices of tn,
general government to the original Romans
This was an Improvement on the loosely con
nected Greek states and allowed the allies ;
measure Of independence. Rome was now II,
important power in the world and started ON
great career of conquest which is unparalleled
in the history of the world. But her rival,
were not to yield without a struggle. Th,
Carthaginans, feeling that they yhal been wrong
cd by the Romans. sent formidable arm,
across the Alps under Hannibal. Although h,
lost 80 900 men in crossing the Alps. he still
had sufficient force to maintain himself il
Italy for II years and probably would hay,
DESTROYED the Roman Empire had he not beer
called home to defend Carthage from the at
. tacks Of the Romans. The final conflict wa.
fought at Zama in Africa POP B. c. and tn,
Romans were victorious. Hannibal spent hi.
last years in Syria, his victor Scipio also wa
forsaken by his friends and had to go into
exile. The two generals, once arrayed il
deadly encounter, now spent many an hour il
friendly converse. Rome was now conqlcrins
country after country and was at the height O
her glory. for the government was devised fol
the government of a city and not for the gov
ernnent of the world. Although all the learn
ing of the world flowed into Rome. ll-gottei
: wealth flowed there too. And wherever me,
subsist on il-gotten gains, moral degradation
must be their lot. Slavery and cNtrayayanc,
: run riot. Aristocracy in its worst form pre-
vailed. Ambitious men are now struggling fo
, | M In n ST uv,rla hnt& MAJ